Goals & Objectives

Overall Goals

  • Develop physician scholars through a rigorous scholarly experience in biomedically related research.
  • Develop skills for scholarly investigation, pursuit of discovery, and transmission of knowledge to others, including principles in research and clinical practice.
  • Incorporate ethical principles in research and ethical practice.
  • Apply skills in the pursuit of life-long learning.

Objectives

Method of monitoring objectives is indicated in parentheses.

  • At the beginning of the Third Year, complete a research proposal acceptable to Mentor and Study Program Director; obtain the appropriate approvals (tracked by Third Year).
  • Adhere to relevant institutional policies and procedures regarding research involving human subjects and animals complete online research related modules including IRB/IACUC modules (tracked by Office of Curricular Affairs).
  • Design research strategies appropriate to chosen area (Mentor evaluation, thesis).
  • Daily work in research environment under supervision of a mentor for > 10 months, personally collecting and/or analyzing data (Mentor evaluations).
  • Review and critically assess literature pertaining to a chosen topic (Mentor evaluation, thesis).
  • Determine what data exist relative to a clinical question or formal hypothesis (Mentor evaluation).
  • Execute a research plan for data collection and organize data for analysis under supervision of mentor (Mentor evaluation).
  • Use appropriate statistical methods to analyze data and interpret scientific literature (Mentor evaluation; successful completion of QMDM-II MedStats course).
  • Collaborate with other individuals as part of the research process and attribute appropriately the contributions of others to the project (Mentor evaluation, thesis).
  • Interpret and report findings in a thesis following prescribed guidelines, appropriately citing relevant work by others (Thesis).
  • Present research at the mandatory Duke School of Medicine Student Research Symposium (MedSym) on the first Friday in August (Third Year).
  • Complete official Third Year Committee evaluation of research experience (Third Year).
  • Interact professionally with faculty and staff (Mentor evaluation).
  • Meet all deadlines successfully (Third Year).